WHAT IS CUSTOMER SERVICE? Why is it Important for Business?

Shalom Solomon 18th November, 2021

The expectations of the today's customer have greatly improved over those of previous years.

Customers expect better services from businesses they patronize, they want to be treated courteously, they want a welcoming environment when they come to spend their hard-earned money.

Businesses likewise have also improved their customer service to meet the rising demand of their client base.

In every sector, there is a bit of competition in the trend of customer service offered by businesses to their clients. Those who are lagging behind, lose their customers to new businesses with good customer service.

For every business, the customers are its life blood, if a business fails to turn prospective customers to returning customers, its chances of growth and longevity are quite low.

Now, although marketing and the quality of products and services offered play a significant role in attracting and retaining clients, the quality of customer service offered to clients also determines if they become loyal customers to your brand.

What is Customer Service?

Customer service as the support given to customers before and after they patronize a business and even while they use the products and services purchased.

Good customer service is going out of your way to ascertain that your customers have an easy and enjoyable experience with your business. Customer service goes beyond the customer service representative's desk.

Good customer service should be ingrained into every facet of your business

Meaning that your customer's satisfaction should be given top priority in every decision-making process and also in the offering of products and services.

Customer service is a function of how well an organization is able to constantly and consistently exceed the needs of its customers.

It revolves primarily around the activities designed and implemented by a business to enhance the level of a customer's satisfaction.

Essentially, customer service goes beyond just customer support, it is in its core ensuring that every customer that comes in contact with your business is happy at the end.

As such, every employee should at least have a solid understanding of the basic principles and characteristics of customer service.

Why is Customer Service important?

1. Customers are the reason why you are in business

Regardless of the type or the service offered, every business exists to meet a certain need, to solve a specific problem(s). Your customers offer a business the opportunity to meet those needs and solve those problems. Really, no business can exist without patronage from customers.

Hence, good customer service sees to it that your business does not only meet the need or solve the problem, it ensures that your customer is satisfied and happy at the end of everything.

2. A happy customer is bound to come back

In its core, customer service aims to see that every customer is happy. This is vital for business because a customer who is satisfied with the services offered by a business is definitely going to return.

Therefore, it goes without saying that good customer service is bound to boost your client base.

3. Build a loyal client base

It is commonly said, that it is costs five times more to attract new customers than to retain existing customers. Customer service ensures that new customers become loyal and returning customers. Thereby, reducing the cost of keeping your business running. It is also true that customers become more profitable every year which means more money and less costs for your business.

4. Referrals Word of mouth sells more than any form of advertising, really

The most amazing thing about boosting your sales and business with referrals is the fact that it costs nothing at all.

This is probably the reason why people tend to trust information about the services of a business when they hear it from someone who has had experience with the business.

An existing customer has evidence of experience with your business and this tends to validate their claims when they make referrals to your company.

5. Happy customer, Happy Employee

A satisfied customer boosts the morale of employees and consequently improves their overall productivity. I mean, you feel you are doing something right when people are glad and happy with the solution you offer to their problems.

Employees feel engaged and positive about what they do and are more satisfied in their roles when they receive good feedback from customers. This translates to greater employee productivity and boosts the collective atmosphere of your business environment.

Finally,

The advantages of treating your customers right are limitless (not really). In addition to the above, good customer service gives your business a higher competing edge over your peers.

And if all these aren't enough, the fact that good customer service does not cost your business anything at all should be a motivating factor.

Thanks for reading ; -)